Directions: Please complete this registration form with both the youth participant and parent/guardian present. Enroll by Friday October 1st to secure your spot. Registrations after October 1st will be manually approved and accepted as seats become available. Please ensure that the youth participant's email is active to receive our BTB Kickoff survey to be completed before the October 8th start date.
Overview: Beyond the Binary (BTB) is a free, weekly, after-school program for youth ages 11 - 15 with a focus on being a cultivated, safe space for gender-expansive youth and allies to bask in community, explore identity, embrace authentic self-expression, and discover how they want to impact the world.
BELONG. EXPLORE. EXPRESS. EMPOWER. LEAD.
Participants will explore how gender, identity, and self-expression have evolved across history and continue to do so today. Through group discussions, creative activities, stories, media, and guest speakers, participants will be introduced to a range of perspectives and experiences.
The program provides a welcoming space for gender expansive youth, including those who may be exploring or curious about aspects of their identity and allies to ask questions, share ideas, and learn from one another. Topics may include gender and representation in media, historical perspectives, identity and self-expression, and the experiences and contributions of people who have challenged traditional ideas about gender.
Together, participants will examine how our understanding of gender is shaped by history, culture, media, and the people around us. Beyond the Binary encourages young people to question expectations, celebrate difference, and discover what authentic self- expression means to them.The goal of Beyond the Binary is to foster greater curiosity, empathy, understanding and personal embrace of the array of experiences.
Location & Time: Beyond the Binary (BTB) meets on Thursday afternoons in Central Square, Cambridge, from 3:30p.m. to 5p.m. Our first session will be Thursday, October 8th at 3:30p.m.- 5p.m. and meet weekly until May 27, 2027. Address will be disclosed via email after acceptance into program.
We will be in touch with more information in mid-September but please don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions.
Cost: This program is free of charge.
Food & Supplies: We provide snacks, games, art supplies and more!
Contact Information: Valentina Thomas, Youth Leadership Manager
Email:
youthleadership@ywcacam.orgText/Call: 781-872-2289
Feel free to reach out if you have questions or would like more information. We are happy to share more about Beyond the Binary (BTB) and our other amazing programs. We will reach out soon to let you know if you have been accepted into the program. Thank you for your interest!
Website:
https://ywcacam.org/programs Our Youth Programs include free school-year programs Girls Only Leadership Development (GOLD) and Beyond the Binary (BTB), where young people build confidence, relationships, and leadership skills through creative learning and community-based social impact projects. Summer offerings include GameChangers, a youth leadership and peer activism program focused on healthy boundaries and consent, and CampOUT, an overnight experience for LGBTQ+ youth and youth from LGBTQ+ families.
